Time for NH drivers to get real winter tires

I was talking to the owner of a tire store in Vermont while my car was being serviced and learned some interesting news. Tire manufacturers are now designing their all season tires to perform less well in the snow and ice.

The reason for this is to encourage northern US states to pass a law requiring snow tires during the winter months. The neighboring province of Quebec passed just such a law a few years back and motorists caught without snow tires from Dec. 15 to March 15 face a $300 fine.

While controversial, the law has delivered some nice benefits for drivers in Quebec. Winter accidents are down well over 50 percent compared to years when winter tires were not mandatory. If you find that your new set of all season tires is not performing as well in the snow as your old ones, you may want to consider a set of true winter tires even if the state of NH does not demand that you do so.